DeepSeek about to suffer the same fate as TikTok in the US?

AI chatbot DeepSeek, which once caused a stir with its impressive natural language processing capabilities, is facing the risk of being banned from all US government devices. The reason comes from concerns that this application could be exploited by the Chinese government to collect user data and affect national security.

DeepSeek sends unencrypted data to China.

US lawmakers have called DeepSeek a 'TikTok on steroids,' alluding to the same risks posed by TikTok. A bipartisan bill called the 'No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act' has even been proposed, which would completely ban the use of DeepSeek on US government-owned devices.

Existing concerns about DeepSeek: 

- Sending unencrypted user data to China: DeepSeek was found to be sending user data from iPhone and Android to ByteDance servers (TikTok's parent company) in China without encryption, potentially exposing them to information theft.

- Related to China Mobile: DeepSeek could send user login data to China Mobile - China's largest telecommunications carrier, which has been banned from operating in the US.

- Risk of information manipulation: DeepSeek can be exploited to spread false information, affecting public opinion and national security.

DeepSeek has failed to provide convincing assurances to allay these concerns, and whether the app will continue to operate in the US remains a big question mark.

Jessica Tanner

Update 10 February 2025